KR102012816B1 - Reinforced body in white and reinforcement therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

The structure of the vehicle is a hollow part comprising a wall forming a channel, the part having a part length, the part comprising a beam, a rail, a pillar, a chassis, a floor rocker, a crossbar, and at least one of the foregoing. Hollow parts selected from the group consisting of combinations; And a plastic-metal hybrid reinforcement having a support having at least three walls forming a cavity and a support channel. The plastic element is located in the support channel and the reinforcement is located in the part channel.

Description

Reinforced whitebody and reinforcement for it {REINFORCED BODY IN WHITE AND REINFORCEMENT THEREFOR}

The present disclosure relates to the structure of a vehicle and its weight reduction.

Car manufacturers continue to reduce the weight of their cars to meet growing government regulations on fuel efficiency and emissions reductions. The vehicle's structure, commonly known as white body (BIW), is the largest structure of the vehicle and is therefore ideal for weight reduction considerations. Whitebody refers to a welded sheet metal part that forms a vehicle structure to which other parts, such as engines, chassis, exteriors and interiors, seats, and the like are combined. However, the reduction in body weight is body stiffness and yield betrayal, which are key characteristics that affect kinetic properties, durability, and fracture resistance.

This creates a need to design BIWs that reduce weight without sacrificing durability and fracture resistance.

In various embodiments disclosed is a method of making and using a reinforced vehicle body as well as a reinforced structural element of the vehicle body.

In various embodiments, the structure of the vehicle is a hollow part comprising a wall forming a channel, the part having a part length, the part having a beam, rail, pillar, chassis, floor rocker A hollow part selected from the group consisting of a crossbar, and a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing; And a hybrid reinforcement having a support with three or more walls forming a plastic honeycomb structure and a support channel. The plastic element is located in the support channel and the reinforcement is located in the part channel.

In one embodiment, the vehicle includes a structure, an engine, and a drive mechanism. The structure includes a hollow vehicle component comprising a wall forming a channel, the vehicle component having a vehicle component length, the vehicle component comprising a beam, rail, pillar, chassis, floor rocker, crossbar, and at least one of the foregoing. A hollow vehicle component selected from the group consisting of combinations comprising; And a reinforcement having a plastic honeycomb structure and a support having three or more walls forming a support channel, wherein the support is a metal, plastic, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing. The plastic element is located in the support channel and the reinforcement is located in the part channel.

These and other non-limiting features are described in more detail below.

The following is a brief description of the drawings, wherein like elements are denoted by the same numerals and are provided for the purpose of illustrating this and not for limiting the exemplary embodiments disclosed herein.

1-3 are perspective views of various exemplary embodiments of plastic elements of a hybrid reinforcement that may be employed in a BIW.
4 is a partial perspective view of an example area of a BIW that may be reinforced.
5 is a schematic of an exemplary location for a stiffener.
6 is a graph of collision result requirements for a BIW.
7 is a schematic perspective view of an embodiment of a plastic element in the reinforcement of the B-pillar and floor rocker.
8 is an exploded perspective view of the plastic element of the reinforcement of FIG. 7;
9 is a schematic perspective view of an embodiment of a plastic element of a stiffener insert in a B-pillar.
10 is an exploded perspective view of the plastic element of the reinforcement of FIG. 9.
11 is a schematic perspective view of an embodiment of the plastic element of the reinforcement in the floor crossbar.
12 is an exploded perspective view of the plastic element of the reinforcement of FIG. 11.
13 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the plastic element of FIG. 14.
14 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the support of FIG. 15 that is formed of metal but may be formed of plastic.
FIG. 15 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the plastic element of FIG. 13 positioned within the metal support of FIG. 14. FIG.
16 is an illustration of an embodiment of a stiffener having various irregular shapes complementary to the shape of the structural part in which the stiffener is to be placed.
17 is a front view of an embodiment of a structural part of a vehicle.
18 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB of FIG. 17 showing a cross section of the B-pillar and the reinforcement therein.
19 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. 17 showing a cross section of a floor rocker having a reinforcement therein.
20 and 21 illustrate embodiments of directional impact of the force of the reinforcement observed in the B-pillar and the floor rocker along the direction Ah in the case of a high speed side impact.

As mentioned above, it is desirable to reduce the weight of the vehicle without compromising structural integrity and durability. Therefore, it is desirable to reduce the amount of metal used in a vehicle without sacrificing strength. Hollow structural elements (eg beams, rails, pillars, rockers, bars, etc.) are used throughout the vehicle. The wall thickness of these various elements is sufficient to give the elements the desired structural integrity to meet their desired functions and various regulatory requirements. It has been found that the thickness of the wall can be reduced, thereby reducing the weight of the part and thus the vehicle, and maintaining the structural integrity of the element by using local reinforcements in the part. In various embodiments herein, a reinforced structure of a vehicle, for example a reinforced hollow part of a motor vehicle (eg, a metal part, a plastic part (eg, a carbon reinforced plastic part)) is disclosed. The disclosed energy-absorbing device is a hybrid solution in which the reinforcement is located in the channel. The device is a deformable unit comprising a support having a plastic reinforcement, wherein the device can be used in hollow structural elements (eg local reinforcement) of a vehicle body. In essence, local plastic honeycomb-supported reinforcements can be used to provide structural integrity to the hollow parts of the vehicle (eg, B-pillars).

In the event of a frontal collision at high speeds (eg, speeds of more than 29 kilometers / hour (km / h)), the front portion of the vehicle chassis (eg, bumper beams, energy absorbers, and rails) absorbs the maximum amount of impact energy. do. For high speed side impacts, B-pillars, floor rockers, and floor crossbars play a major role in energy absorption. In the case of rollover or loop-collision, A-filler, B-pillar, and roof rail play a major role in absorbing impact energy. In general, the part mentioned above is a hollow metal section. In order to improve the fracture resistance of the above mentioned parts of a vehicle, a hybrid metal polymer solution is disclosed herein comprising a channel with a locally supported metal reinforcement. The disclosed collision countermeasures provide impact and / or reinforcement properties in a lighter structure than conventional systems consisting entirely of metal. This collision countermeasure provides a lightweight collision system that provides protection comparable to all current metal systems. As such, the overall weight of the vehicle is reduced without any loss to the safety of the passengers.

Reinforcements in structural components are disclosed that can be used to minimize damage that may occur during an impact. Plastic (eg, thermoplastic) reinforcement includes a support (eg, metal, plastic, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing) and a plastic reinforcement inseparable from the support, wherein the reinforcement is a structure Located within the component (eg, an element of the structure of the vehicle). As used herein, "non-separable" means that the part cannot be separated without damaging one or both parts. The reinforcement may be located throughout the structural part or in a (“local”) strategic location within the structural part. Elements of the structure that can be reinforced include beam (s), rail (s), pillar (s), chassis, floor lockers, crossbar (s), and other hollow metal parts, as well as at least one of the foregoing. It includes a combination.

The element may have a honeycomb structure, for example an array of columns and channels. The honeycomb structure may be a combination having at least one of the above-described shapes as well as a shape having five or more sides, such as shapes of pentagons, hexagons, octagons, and octagons, and particularly may be hexagonal. Optionally, the rib (s) can be disposed in an individual honeycomb. Plastic honeycombs can be produced by bonding extruded plastic tubes, injection molding plastic honeycombs, extrusion of honeycomb structures, or other molding methods. For example, the element may be a coextruded part having honeycombs of the same or different materials, for example, adjacent honeycombs may comprise a composition of different materials. Optionally, some or all of the honeycomb may have a foam therein. In other words, the honeycomb can be individually hollow or filled, so that structural integrity can be altered by filling a particular honeycomb with different plastics or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing for a particular honeycomb. . One possible filling material is foam.

Plastic reinforcements may include various plastic materials, such as thermoplastics, thermosets, and combinations thereof. The particular material may be selected based on the properties of the material, the desired location in the vehicle and the properties of that location. For example, in some embodiments, the material has moderate stiffness (eg, Young's Modulus from 0.8 gigapascals (GPa) to 7.0 GPa), good elongation (e.g., elongation greater than 30%), vehicle manufacturing conditions It can have chemical and / or heat resistance under (in which plastic inserts can maintain integrity when moving with the car body through film-burning operations, for example, welding, painting, etc. for 30 minutes at a temperature of 400 ° F). have. Exemplary plastic materials include thermoplastic materials as well as combinations of these thermoplastic materials with metals, elastomeric materials, and / or thermoset materials. Possible thermoplastic materials include polybutylene terephthalate (PBT); Acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS); Polycarbonate; Polycarbonate / PBT blends; Polycarbonate / ABS blends; Copolycarbonate-polyester; Acryl-styrene-acrylonitrile (ASA); Acrylonitrile- (ethylene-polypropylene diamine modified) -styrene (AES); Phenylene ether resins; Blends of polyphenylene ether / polyamides; Polyamides; Phenylene sulfide resins; Polyvinyl chloride PVC; High impact polystyrene (HIPS); Low density / high density polyethylene (L / HDPE); Polypropylene (PP); Expanded polypropylene (EPP); And thermoplastic olefins (TPO). For example, the plastic part may comprise Noryl ^™ GTX resin commercially available from SABIC. Optionally, this plastic can be reinforced using, for example, fibers, particles, flakes, as well as combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing. Such fibers may include glass, carbon, bamboo, and the like, as well as combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing. For example, the plastic insert can be formed from STAMAX ^™ material, which is a long glass fiber reinforced polypropylene commercially available from SABIC. The plastic part can also be made from a combination comprising any at least one of the materials and / or reinforcements described above, for example a combination with a thermoset material.

The support may form a channel formed by at least three sides. Each wall of the channel may be straight or wavy. For example, the rear wall may be straight (ie, no corrugations or bends), where one or both of the side walls extending in the same direction from the rear wall may have a waveform. In other words, the sidewall (s) may have indented regions (grooves). This indented region can form a waveform pattern, thereby forming a waveform. Optionally, there may be an opening through the wall in the groove area of the sidewall, so that when the reinforcement is formed, molten plastic flows from the cavity through the opening and solidifies to form an inseparable reinforcement. The depressions created by the corrugations on the outer surface of the metal support also provide space for the plastic coming out of the two holes to fix the outer surface of the metal support therein. If the support is plastic, the channels and honeycomb structures can be formed in situ, for example using injection molding.

The specific size and design of the corrugations may depend on the desired structural integrity of the part. The corrugated portion is, for example, a depth of up to 20 millimeters (mm) (eg 0.5 to 20 mm), specifically 1 mm to 10 mm, more specifically 2 mm to 7 mm (eg 5 mm) Can be. Deeper corrugations yield higher rigidity but also increase the difficulty of stamping sheet metal. The depth of the corrugation can be changed from the base towards the free edge side, for example from the base towards the free side, for example from 1 mm to 10 mm, specifically from 3 mm to 7 mm. Can be increased. This change can reduce the steel's wrinkleling at the corrugated base position during the steel stamping operation.

The number of holes through the corrugations may be one or more, specifically two or more, for example two to four to sufficiently facilitate the flow of the plastic. The hole diameter (parallel to the main axis) may be up to 20 mm (eg 0.5 mm to 20 mm), specifically 1 mm to 10 mm, more specifically 2 mm to 7 mm (eg 5 mm) Can be.

The metal support may comprise various metals based on structural integrity, weight, weldability. Some possible metals for the metal support include aluminum, steel, titanium, chromium, magnesium, and zinc as well as combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing materials.

The orientation of the honeycomb with respect to the channel in the support (and also with respect to the opening through the structural element) can be adjusted to adjust the energy absorption properties of the reinforced structural part (eg BIW). For example, honeycombs can form channels that can be oriented from 0 degrees (eg, parallel) to 90 degrees (vertical) with respect to the major axis of the support. The main axis is an axis extending below the channel (see, for example, axis Ax in FIG. 18). In other words, in some embodiments, the honeycomb may have a major axis common to the channel and may extend parallel to it. In another embodiment, the honeycomb may extend perpendicular to the major axis of the channel. As a result, when the reinforcement is disposed in the structural part, in some embodiments, the honeycomb may have a major axis common to the opening through the structural part, and in other embodiments the honeycomb is perpendicular to the opening through the structural part. It can be extended to.

The overall size of the stiffener depends on the position of the stiffener in the BIW and the size of the associated openings in the structural part. Moreover, the properties of the reinforcement, such as the number of honeycombs per unit area, the thickness of the honeycomb wall, and the specific material of the plastic reinforcement, depend on the desired energy absorption properties in the particular area. The density of the honeycomb (number of honeycombs per unit area) depends on the desired stiffness, the impact properties and the material used. In some embodiments, the density may be 100 mm ² 1 to 20 of the honeycomb, in particular 100 mm ² 1 to 10 honeycomb, and more specifically 100 mm ² 1 to five per per per honeycomb. In various embodiments, the thickness of the walls of the plastic reinforcement may be 0.5 mm to 10 mm, specifically 2 mm to 5 mm, more specifically 2.5 mm to 4 mm. Generally, the reinforcement comprises at least 10 honeycombs, specifically at least 20 honeycombs, more specifically at least 30 honeycombs.

The length of the part depends on the specific area of the BIW, and the length of the plastic reinforcement depends on the amount and location of improved structural integrity within the metal part. The plastic reinforcement may have a length that corresponds to the length of the metal part or less than the length of the metal part (eg, it may be localized, ie placed only at a specific location to obtain improved structural integrity at that location). have). Preferably, to maximize weight reduction, the plastic reinforcement is localized to add the minimum weight needed to achieve the desired structural integrity (eg, structural integrity beyond standard metal parts without thinner walls). The reinforcement may have a length of 1,000 mm or less, specifically 800 mm or less, more specifically 300 mm or less. The length of the reinforcement may be no greater than 80%, in particular no greater than 60%, more specifically no greater than 50%, more specifically no greater than 10% to 35% of the length of the structural part (ie, the structural part reinforced by the reinforcement). Can be. For example, a reinforcement such as for use in a filler or rail may have a length of 150 mm to 350 mm, specifically 200 mm to 250 mm. In another embodiment, for example, the plastic reinforcement for use in the floor rocker may have a length of 500 mm to 800 mm, specifically 600 mm to 700 mm. The structural part is a hollow metal element. The reinforcement is disposed in the hollow space. If the reinforcement is not located through the hollow space in the structural element, the reinforcement may be attached to the structural element to prevent the reinforcement from being separated during use or impact of the vehicle.

Some possible structural component material (s) include aluminum, titanium, chromium, magnesium, zinc, and steel, plastics (eg, fiber reinforced plastics) as well as combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing materials. . The thicknesses of the walls of the structural component may all be the same or different to improve the rigidity in the desired direction. For example, one set of opposing walls may have a thickness that is greater or less than that of another set of opposing walls. In some embodiments, the structural part has a wall thickness of 1.6 mm or less, specifically 1.0 mm to 1.5 mm, more specifically 1.3 mm to 1.4 mm. In general, metal walls (eg, floor rockers, rails, pillars, bumper beams, etc.) have wall thicknesses greater than 1.8 mm. Therefore, the use of reinforcements can reduce the wall thickness (of structural parts) by at least 10%, in particular by at least 20% and even by at least 25%.

As mentioned above, the reinforcement may be the bumper beam (s) and / or BIW (eg, rail (s), pillar (s), chassis, floor rocker, and crossbar (s)), as well as any of the foregoing. It can be located within various areas of the vehicle, such as a combination comprising at least one. The desired specific position of the stiffener in the structural part can be determined using the impact results. For example, referring to FIG. 10, it can be seen that the reinforcement is needed in the B-pillar (eg, the portion adjacent to the center of the B-pillar) and / or in the floor locker in contact with the B-pillar. (See example stiffener location 70 in FIG. 9).

The parts, processes, and apparatus disclosed herein may be more fully understood with reference to the accompanying drawings. These figures (also referred to as "degrees") are simple schematics based on the convenience and ease of description of the disclosure and thus do not represent the relative sizes and dimensions of the devices or their components, and / or illustrate the scope of exemplary embodiments. It is not limited or limited. Although special terms are used in the following description for the sake of clarity, these terms refer only to specific structures of the embodiments selected for illustration in the drawings and are not intended to limit or limit the scope of the disclosure. In the drawings and description below, the same numbers should be understood to refer to parts of the same function.

The fixing means can be mechanical and / or chemical fixing means. Exemplary mechanical fastening means include locking element (s) (e.g., plastic (e.g., plastic extruded through openings in the wall to connect the plastic reinforcement to the outer surface of the BIW part), snaps, hooks, screws, Bolts, rivets, welds, crimp (s) (eg, metal walls with crimps), metal protrusions from structural part walls to and / or into the reinforcement (eg, wall (s) to engage with the stiffeners. Tabs extending into the channel), and the like. The metal support of the hybrid reinforcement may be welded to the metal channel of the BIW, for example. Friction fit may be used to hold the reinforcement in place. Chemical fixation means can include binders such as glue, adhesives, and the like.

In another embodiment, the reinforcement is in a direction such that the metal tab can be outwardly cantilevered and elastically rebounds in place to engage the reinforcement to inhibit removal of the reinforcement (eg, engage the groove). It can be inserted into the metal reinforcement. Optionally, the reinforcement may include engagement regions (eg, diverts, indentations, holes, etc.) configured to engage the tabs and also to inhibit separation of the structural part and the reinforcement. In some embodiments, the structural part may have a reduced size before and / or after the stiffener such that the stiffener cannot be removed (eg, the stiffener may be inserted into the structural part, which part may be a subsequent stiffener). Can be crimped adjacent to the reinforcement to inhibit removal or migration of the substrate).

1-3 show an exemplary design of a plastic element that includes an exemplary shape of a honeycomb of the plastic element. Some exemplary designs for plastic elements include layered structures, round honeycomb structures (including a layer having a plurality of layers of triangular structures (eg, layers having diagonal ribs forming a triangle, eg, FIG. 1)). For example, circular, oval, etc., polygonal honeycomb structures (eg, hexagonal honeycomb structures (eg, FIG. 3), four-sided honeycomb structures (eg, FIG. 2), pentagons, etc.), as well as Combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing.

4 is a schematic representation of the possible position of the reinforcement in the vehicle. Here, the plastic insert can be located at one or any combination of specified locations. For example, A-pillar 50 (e.g., the middle of the length of the A-pillar), B-pillar 52 (e.g., the middle of the length of the B-pillar), C-pillar 54 (e.g., the middle adjoining the C-pillar), D-pillar 56 (e.g., the middle adjoining the D-pillar), roof rail 58 (e.g., For example, multiple separate locations along the length of the roof rail, such as centered across the window (s) and / or floor rocker 60 (eg, the area where the B-pillar and floor rocker contact). . For example, an insert that occupies about 10% to 30% of the length of the metal part may be located in the A-pillar 50, B-pillar 52, roof rail 58, and floor rocker 60. have. The exact location of these reinforcements depends on the fracture resistance performance for different high speed impact requirements. As is clear from the figure (eg, FIGS. 1 to 3), the honeycomb forms a channel. The channel may be oriented parallel to the major axis of the hollow opening formed in the whitebody part, and the channel is oriented perpendicular to the major axis of the hollow opening formed in the whitebody part to provide additional structural integrity (FIG. 7, FIG. 9 and FIG. 11).

5 is a schematic diagram of the concept in which local reinforcements are proposed at specified locations such as A-pillars, B-pillars, roof rails, and floor lockers. The cross section shown in FIG. 5 details the two steel structures being welded together to form a hollow part of a 'white body' ("BIW"; also known as a black body), the reinforcement of the hollow mentioned above It is installed in the space. The specific location of these reinforcements depends on the fracture resistance performance for different high speed impact requirements.

7 shows a plastic element that can be coupled to the junction of the B-pillar 52 and the floor rocker 60. 9 shows a plastic element that can be coupled to a B-pillar. 11 shows a plastic element that can be coupled to the floor crossbar 62. 8, 10 and 12 show the configuration of the plastic insert in the position of the vehicle for the insert shown in FIGS. 7, 9 and 11, respectively.

The size of the honeycomb inserts varies with the packaging available in the vehicle parts. For example, the insert in the floor rocker (FIG. 7) can be designed to a depth of about 70 mm, and about 400 mm × 200 mm at the T-junction of the B-pillar 52 and the floor rocker 60. Occupies an area (FIG. 8); The honeycomb insert (FIG. 9) in the B-pillar can be designed to a depth of about 60 mm and occupies an area of 60 mm × 350 mm of the B-pillar (FIG. 10); And / or honeycomb inserts for floor crossbar 62 (FIG. 11) can be designed to a depth of 80 mm and occupy an area of about 500 mm × 90 mm of the floor crossbar (FIG. 12).

13 to 15 show elements of the reinforcement. 12 shows a plastic element 4 located in the channel of the metal support 6. As can be seen in FIG. 14, the metal support 6 can comprise an opening 14 in the groove 12, so that the plastic of the plastic element passes through the opening 14 and disperses in the groove 12. By means of which the metal support 6 and the plastic element 4 can be locked together.

As shown in FIG. 16, the reinforcement 1 can have a shape complementary to the shape of the opening through the structural component 30. As can be seen in this figure, the plastic element 4 may have an axis Ah (see FIG. 18) along the depth of the honeycomb. The depth of the honeycomb may be constant throughout the reinforcement (see FIG. 15), or may vary along the length of the reinforcement, for example, to follow the shape of the structural component 30 of the vehicle (see FIG. 16). . For example, the depth of the honeycomb of the plastic element 4 can be reduced, for example, from one end of the reinforcement along the axis Ax towards the opposite end of the reinforcement. This is further illustrated in FIGS. 17-19. In these figures, a cross-sectional view (Fig. 18) of the B-pillar 52 (B-B) and a cross-sectional view (Fig. 19) of the floor rocker A-A are shown. In both FIGS. 18 and 19, the reinforcement 1 is shown in which the honeycomb channel (axis Ah) is perpendicular to the axis of the opening through the structural component 30 (axis Ac).

In addition to the orientation of the possible plastic elements 4 shown, these figures also show an example direction of force (arrow F) on these structural parts. 20 and 21, BIW components (eg, steel channels) are transparently shown to show the direction of the load along the internal reinforcement and the direction 'Ah' during the scenario of high speed side impact.

In some embodiments, the plastic reinforcement can be cast with the metal part and placed in a cavity. This can be accomplished by standard insert casting processes.

 Using hybrid stiffeners at different locations in the BIW is expected to improve the collision performance by 15% to 30% compared to not having plastic stiffeners for high speed side impacts.

In order to achieve the same structural integrity (collision performance) during high-speed lateral collisions, the BIW stiffeners can reduce the weight reduction of the BIW by more than 10% compared to designs without plastic stiffeners due to the reduction in the steel standard (thickness) at different locations. It can help.

Using local reinforcements (e.g., plastic honeycomb structures located in metal support structures and having hollow channels therethrough) can reduce the wall thickness of the reinforced part by at least 15% while maintaining structural integrity. Can be.

In the case of a foam filled part, the hollow part is filled with foam up to its entire volume, and the expanded foam material provides a connection to the wall, and thus absorption of force and distribution of load. Reinforcement properties are based on the material properties of the foam. However, foam reinforcement systems require chemical reactions that must be suitable for the production process of a vehicle, especially in terms of incidental temperatures. The reinforcement function thus relies on accurate and consistent adherence to process parameters. Another disadvantage is that the structural parts cannot be easily separated from other structural parts, making recycling more difficult. In addition, full filling of space with foam results in some homogeneous reinforcement effect without the ability to account for three-dimensional variable design requirements.

In a crash countermeasure system comprising a steel stamping secured to the sheet metal via a thermoset adhesive, the adhesive is activated and expanded as the body moves through the oven to bake the coating. Therefore, such a system is not optimal. Stamping is heavy and generally excess adhesive must be applied to ensure a firm bond from the countermeasure to the body.

Numerous advantages are realized by integrating a structural reinforcement (eg, any hollow metal load bearing part in a vehicle) with a hybrid reinforcement as described herein. (i) the design is still lighter than all metal parts while still meeting the same structural requirements, and (ii) this plastic reinforcement is high in weight relative to other reinforcements (e.g. foam, foam epoxy, and steel reinforcement). Stiffness, (iii) better thermal performance during the painting cycle compared to foam or epoxy reinforcement solutions, and / or (iv) no change to existing assembly lines. For example, collision countermeasures can be manufactured and used in automobiles without the need for additional processing steps. In addition, the design is effective in 2016 as the same structural integrity can be achieved at reduced weight, or structural integrity can be achieved in all standard steel structural parts (eg BIW) of the same weight. Better meets CO2 emission requirements and NHTSA safety requirements.

Embodiment 1 The structure of the vehicle is a hollow structural component comprising a wall forming a component channel, wherein the vehicle component has a component length, wherein the vehicle component is a bumper beam, rail, pillar, chassis, floor rocker, crossbar. A hollow structural component selected from the group consisting of combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing; And a reinforcement comprising a plastic element having a honeycomb structure, and a support having at least three walls forming a support channel. The plastic element is located in the support channel and the reinforcement is located in the part channel.

Embodiment 2: The structure of Embodiment 1, wherein the honeycomb is filled.

Embodiment 3: The structure of any one of Embodiments 1 and 2, wherein the plastic element comprises a thermoplastic.

Embodiment 4 The structure of any one of Embodiments 1 to 3, wherein the plastic element further comprises a fiber reinforced thermoplastic.

Embodiment 5: The structure of any one of Embodiments 1-4, wherein the reinforcement has a reinforcement length that is 80% or less of the part length.

Embodiment 6: The structure of any one of Embodiments 1-5, wherein the reinforcement length is 10% to 35% of the part length.

Embodiment 7: The structure of any one of Embodiments 1 to 6, wherein the plastic element has a hollow honeycomb structure having a hexagonal honeycomb shape and has a length of 150 mm to 350 mm.

Embodiment 8 The structure of any one of Embodiments 1-7, wherein the plastic element has a hollow honeycomb structure having a hexagonal honeycomb shape and has a length of 500 mm to 800 mm.

Embodiment 9: The structure of any one of Embodiments 1-8, wherein the plastic element is attached to the structural part with mechanical fastening means.

Embodiment 10 The structure of any one of Embodiments 1-9, wherein the structural part is a floor rocker.

Embodiment 11 The structure of any one of Embodiments 1 to 10, wherein the structural component is a bumper beam.

Embodiment 12 The structure of any one of Embodiments 1 to 11, wherein the structural part has a space having a major axis, the honeycomb structure comprises a channel, and the channel is oriented perpendicular to the main axis.

Embodiment 13: The structure of any one of Embodiments 1 to 12, wherein the plastic element is inseparably attached to the support.

Embodiment 14 The structure of any one of Embodiments 1 to 13, wherein at least one of the walls of the support has a groove and a hole through the wall of the groove.

Embodiment 15 The structure of embodiment 14, wherein the plastic from the plastic element is located in the groove through the aperture.

Embodiment 16: The structure of embodiment 15, wherein the plastic fills grooves that form a flat outer surface.

Embodiment 17 The reinforcement of any one of Embodiments 1 to 16, wherein the support is a metal.

Embodiment 18 The reinforcement of any one of Embodiments 1 to 16, wherein the support is plastic.

Embodiment 19 The reinforcement of any one of Embodiments 1 to 16, wherein the support comprises a metal and a plastic.

Embodiment 20 An engine and a drive mechanism, wherein the vehicle is a structural component of any one of Embodiments 1-19.

Embodiment 21 The vehicle of Embodiment 20, wherein the structural part has a space having a major axis, the honeycomb structure comprises a channel, the channel being oriented perpendicular to the main axis.

Embodiment 22 A reinforcement configured to be inserted into a structural part of a vehicle, the reinforcement comprising a plastic element having a honeycomb structure and a support having three or more walls forming a support channel. At least one of the walls of the support has a groove and a hole through the wall in the groove. Plastic from the plastic element extends through the opening into the groove. The plastic element is located in the support channel and detachably attached to the support.

Embodiment 23: The reinforcement of Embodiment 22, wherein the honeycomb is filled.

Embodiment 24 The reinforcement of Embodiment 22 or Embodiment 23, wherein the plastic element comprises a thermoplastic.

Embodiment 25 The reinforcement of any one of Embodiments 22 to 24, wherein the plastic element further comprises a fiber reinforced thermoplastic.

Embodiment 26 The reinforcement of any one of Embodiments 22 to 25, wherein the reinforcement has a reinforcement length that is 80% or less of the part length.

Embodiment 27 The reinforcement of any one of embodiments 22 to 26, wherein the reinforcement length is 10% to 35% of the part length.

Embodiment 28 The reinforcement of any one of Embodiments 22 to 27, wherein the plastic element has a hollow honeycomb structure having a hexagonal honeycomb shape and has a length of 150 mm to 350 mm.

Embodiment 29 The reinforcement of any one of embodiments 22 to 28, wherein the plastic element has a hollow honeycomb structure having a hexagonal honeycomb shape and has a length of 500 mm to 800 mm.

Embodiment 30 The reinforcement of any one of Embodiments 22 to 29, wherein the plastic element is attached to the structural part with mechanical fastening means.

Embodiment 31 The reinforcement of any one of Embodiments 22 to 30, wherein the structural component is a floor rocker.

Embodiment 32 The reinforcement of any one of Embodiments 22 to 31, wherein the structural component is a bumper beam.

Embodiment 33 The reinforcement of any one of Embodiments 22-32, wherein the structural part has a space having a major axis, the honeycomb structure comprises a channel, and the channel is oriented perpendicular to the main axis.

Embodiment 34 The reinforcement of any one of embodiments 22 to 33, wherein the plastic element is inseparably attached to the metal support.

Embodiment 35 The reinforcement of any one of embodiments 22 to 34, wherein at least one of the walls of the metal support has a groove and a hole through the wall of the groove.

Embodiment 36 The reinforcement of embodiment 35, wherein the plastic from the plastic element is located in the groove through the aperture.

Embodiment 37 The reinforcement of embodiment 36, wherein the plastic is filled with grooves that form a flat outer surface.

Embodiment 38 The reinforcement of any one of embodiments 22-37, wherein the honeycomb structure has a density of 1 to 20 honeycombs per 100 mm ² .

Embodiment 39 The reinforcement of any one of embodiments 22 through 38, wherein the honeycomb structure has a density of 1 to 10 honeycombs per 100 mm ² .

Embodiment 40 The reinforcement of any one of Embodiments 22-39, comprising 10 or more honeycombs in the hicom structure.

Embodiment 41 The reinforcement of any one of Embodiments 22-40, comprising 20 or more honeycombs in the hicom structure.

Embodiment 42 The reinforcement of any one of embodiments 22 to 41, wherein the hicom structure comprises at least 30 honeycombs.

Embodiment 43 The reinforcement of any one of Embodiments 22 to 42, wherein the depth Ah of the honeycomb is changed along the axis Ax.

Embodiment 44 The structural part of any one of Embodiments 1-43, wherein the structural part is a metal.

Embodiment 45 A structure of a vehicle, comprising the reinforcement of any one of Embodiments 22-44.

Embodiment 46 A vehicle comprising the reinforcement of any one of Embodiments 22 to 44 located within the structure, the structural part, the engine, and the drive mechanism.

All ranges disclosed herein include endpoints, which endpoints may be independently linked to one another (eg, “up to 25% by weight or more specifically 5 to 20% by weight” may include endpoints and “ All intermediate values within the range of 5% to 25% by weight ". “Combination” includes blends, mixtures, alloys, reaction products, and the like. Moreover, the terms "first", "second", and the like herein do not mean any order, quantity, or importance, and are used to distinguish one element from another. The terms "a, an" and "the" in this specification do not indicate a limiting amount, and both singular and plural unless otherwise indicated or clearly opposite in the present specification. Should be interpreted as including As used herein, the suffix "(s)" is intended to include both the singular and the plural of the term it modifies, thereby including one or more of the term (eg, membrane (s)). Includes one or more membranes). Throughout this specification, "an embodiment", "another embodiment", "embodiment", and the like, specific elements (eg, features, structures, and / or features) described in connection with the embodiment. Means that it may be included within at least one embodiment described herein and may or may not be present in other embodiments. In addition, the described elements may be combined in any suitable manner in the various embodiments. Should be understood.

While certain embodiments have been described, alternatives, modifications, changes, improvements, and substantial equivalents that are or may not currently be expected may be generated by the application or by other persons skilled in the art. Accordingly, the appended claims that may be filed and amended are intended to cover all such alternatives, adaptations, modifications, improvements, and substantial equivalents.

Claims (20)

A hollow structural vehicle part comprising a wall forming a part channel; And
Reinforcement comprising a plastic element having a honeycomb structure and a support having at least three walls forming a support channel
As a structure of the vehicle, comprising:
The vehicle component has a part length and is selected from the group consisting of a bumper beam, a rail, a pillar, a chassis, a floor rocker, a crossbar, and a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing,
The plastic element is located in the support channel,
The stiffener is located in the component channel,
The structure of the vehicle. The method of claim 1,
The honeycomb is filled. The method of claim 1,
The plastic element comprises a thermoplastic; Or the plastic element further comprises a fiber reinforced thermoplastic. The method of claim 1,
The stiffener has a stiffener length that is 10-80% of the part length; Or a reinforcement length that is 10% to 35% of the part length. The method of claim 1,
The plastic element has a hollow honeycomb structure having a hexagonal honeycomb shape and has a length of 150 mm to 350 mm. The method of claim 1,
The plastic element has a hollow honeycomb structure having a hexagonal honeycomb shape and has a length of 500 mm to 800 mm. The method of claim 1,
The plastic element is attached to a structural part having mechanical fastening means. The method of claim 1,
The structural part is a floor rocker; Or the structural part is a bumper beam. The method of claim 1,
Said structural component having a space having a major axis, said honeycomb structure comprising a channel, said channel being oriented perpendicular to said main axis. The method of claim 1,
The plastic element is detachably attached to the support. The method of claim 1,
At least one of the walls of the support has a groove and a hole through the wall of the groove. The method of claim 11,
Plastic from the plastic element is located in the groove through the aperture. The method of claim 1,
Wherein the support comprises metal, plastic, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing. 14. The structure of any one of claims 1 to 13;
engine; And
Driving mechanism
Vehicle comprising a. The method of claim 14,
Said structural component having a space having a major axis, said honeycomb structure comprising a channel, said channel being oriented perpendicular to said main axis. delete delete delete delete delete

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